Thunderball. FLEMING, Ian.

First edition, first impression, of the Bond adventure that introduced the criminal organization SPECTRE and its leader, Ernst Stavro Blofeld. The novel grew from an unfilmed Bond screenplay that Fleming made in collaboration with Kevin McClory, Jack Whittingham, Ivar Bryce, and Ernest Cuneo. On hearing Fleming had turned the script into a novel, McClory and Whittingham attempted to delay its publication through the courts. The book was later adapted into the 1965 film starring Sean Connery. Gilbert A9a (1.1). Octavo. Original dark brown boards, spine lettered in gilt (Gilbert's binding A), skeletal hand motif to front cover in blind. With dust jacket. Bookseller's ticket (a little rubbed) on front pastedown. Spine ends bumped, foxing to edges and endpapers; jacket spine toned, slightly rubbed, a few small tears, large mark on rear panel, price-clipped: very good.